The Lonely Goatherd
Encyclopedia
"The Lonely Goatherd" is a show tune
from the musical The Sound of Music
that makes use of yodelling
.
This song tells the whimsical story of a goatherd whose yodelling
is heard from far off and by passers-by, until he falls in love with a girl who wears a pale-pink coat, with her mother joining in the yodelling.
This song has been sung at different points in the musical depending on the production. In the 1959 Broadway production, Maria
(played by Mary Martin
) sings the song in the children's bedroom to comfort them during a storm, while in the 1965 film
Maria (played by Julie Andrews
) and the children sing it as part of a marionette
show they perform for their father. (A different song, "My Favorite Things
," is performed in the bedroom for the film version.)
Julie Andrews
performed this song with The Muppets
as the opening number to her guest appearance on The Muppet Show
.
Many subsequent stage productions have placed this song at different points in the musical. In the 1981 West End
revival with Petula Clark
, Maria and the children sing it at a fair, and in the 1998 Broadway revival with Rebecca Luker
it is sung at the Salzburg Festival concert.
The lively number reappears later in the film version as a deliberately-paced and very Austrian-sounding instrumental, the Ländler
, a dance performed by the Captain and Maria. It then serves as the catalyst to a dramatic juncture in the film, as the young apprentice nun Maria realizes that she is in love with the Captain.
The famous marionette puppetry sequence in the film was produced and performed by the leading puppeteers of the day, Bil Baird
and Cora Eisenberg.
The song is a well-known example of yodeling
, which is a part of the traditional music of the Austrian Alps
, where the musical is set. The lyrics are also well-known and widely quoted, especially the opening line, "High on a hill was a lonely goatherd."
In 2006 Gwen Stefani
sampled the song in Wind It Up (Gwen Stefani song)
on her album, The Sweet Escape (2006).
Show tune
A show tune is a popular song originally written as part of the score of a "show" , especially if the piece in question has become a "standard", more or less detached in most people's minds from the original context...
from the musical The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music is a musical by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers...
that makes use of yodelling
Yodeling
Yodeling is a form of singing that involves singing an extended note which rapidly and repeatedly changes in pitch from the vocal or chest register to the falsetto/head register; making a high-low-high-low sound.The English word yodel is derived from a German word jodeln meaning "to...
.
This song tells the whimsical story of a goatherd whose yodelling
Yodeling
Yodeling is a form of singing that involves singing an extended note which rapidly and repeatedly changes in pitch from the vocal or chest register to the falsetto/head register; making a high-low-high-low sound.The English word yodel is derived from a German word jodeln meaning "to...
is heard from far off and by passers-by, until he falls in love with a girl who wears a pale-pink coat, with her mother joining in the yodelling.
This song has been sung at different points in the musical depending on the production. In the 1959 Broadway production, Maria
Maria von Trapp
Maria Augusta von Trapp , also known as Baroness Maria von Trapp, was the stepmother and matriarch of the Trapp Family Singers...
(played by Mary Martin
Mary Martin
Mary Virginia Martin was an American actress and singer. She originated many roles over her career including Nellie Forbush in South Pacific and Maria in The Sound of Music. She was named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 1989...
) sings the song in the children's bedroom to comfort them during a storm, while in the 1965 film
The Sound of Music (film)
Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music is a 1965 American musical film directed by Robert Wise and starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. The film is based on the Broadway musical The Sound of Music, with songs written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, and with the musical...
Maria (played by Julie Andrews
Julie Andrews
Dame Julia Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is an English film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honors...
) and the children sing it as part of a marionette
Marionette
A marionette is a puppet controlled from above using wires or strings depending on regional variations. A marionette's puppeteer is called a manipulator. Marionettes are operated with the puppeteer hidden or revealed to an audience by using a vertical or horizontal control bar in different forms...
show they perform for their father. (A different song, "My Favorite Things
My Favorite Things (song)
"My Favorite Things" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music.-The Sound of Music version:The song was first introduced by Mary Martin in the original Broadway production, and sung by Julie Andrews in the 1965 film.In the musical, the lyrics to the song are a...
," is performed in the bedroom for the film version.)
Julie Andrews
Julie Andrews
Dame Julia Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is an English film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honors...
performed this song with The Muppets
The Muppets
The Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson starting in 1954–55. Although the term is often used to refer to any puppet that resembles the distinctive style of The Muppet Show, the term is both an informal name and legal trademark owned by the Walt Disney Company in reference...
as the opening number to her guest appearance on The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show is a British television programme produced by American puppeteer Jim Henson and featuring Muppets. After two pilot episodes were produced in 1974 and 1975, the show premiered on 5 September 1976 and five series were produced until 15 March 1981, lasting 120 episodes...
.
Many subsequent stage productions have placed this song at different points in the musical. In the 1981 West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
revival with Petula Clark
Petula Clark
Petula Clark, CBE is an English singer, actress, and composer whose career has spanned seven decades.Clark's professional career began as an entertainer on BBC Radio during World War II...
, Maria and the children sing it at a fair, and in the 1998 Broadway revival with Rebecca Luker
Rebecca Luker
Rebecca Luker is an American musical theatre actress and soprano who has appeared in several prominent Broadway productions.-Life and career:...
it is sung at the Salzburg Festival concert.
The lively number reappears later in the film version as a deliberately-paced and very Austrian-sounding instrumental, the Ländler
Ländler
The ländler is a folk dance in 3/4 time which was popular in Austria, south Germany and German Switzerland at the end of the 18th century.It is a dance for couples which strongly features hopping and stamping...
, a dance performed by the Captain and Maria. It then serves as the catalyst to a dramatic juncture in the film, as the young apprentice nun Maria realizes that she is in love with the Captain.
The famous marionette puppetry sequence in the film was produced and performed by the leading puppeteers of the day, Bil Baird
Bil Baird
William Britton Baird , professional name Bil Baird, but often referred to as Bill Baird, was an American puppeteer of the mid- and late 20th century.One of his better known creations was Charlemane the lion...
and Cora Eisenberg.
The song is a well-known example of yodeling
Yodeling
Yodeling is a form of singing that involves singing an extended note which rapidly and repeatedly changes in pitch from the vocal or chest register to the falsetto/head register; making a high-low-high-low sound.The English word yodel is derived from a German word jodeln meaning "to...
, which is a part of the traditional music of the Austrian Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
, where the musical is set. The lyrics are also well-known and widely quoted, especially the opening line, "High on a hill was a lonely goatherd."
In 2006 Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani is the lead vocalist for the rock and ska band No Doubt. Stefani recorded her first solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. in 2004. The album was inspired by music of the 1980s, and was a success with sales of over...
sampled the song in Wind It Up (Gwen Stefani song)
Wind It Up (Gwen Stefani song)
"Wind It Up" is a song written by Gwen Stefani and Pharrell Williams originally for inclusion on Stefani's Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005. Because of favorable reception, the song was later recorded for her second solo album, The Sweet Escape...
on her album, The Sweet Escape (2006).